Process of sterilizing hermetically-sealed packages



June so, 1925. 1,544,304

` J. A. FENN PROCESS OF STERILIZING HERMETICALLY SEALED PACKAGES 'Filedsept. 27, 1925 Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

JAMES A. FENN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PHOENIX-HERMETICCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PROCESS OF STERILIZING HERMETICALLY-SEALED PACKAGES.

Application filed September 27, 1923. Serial No. 665,155.

T o all whom t may concer/m.'

Be it known that I, JAMES A. FEN'N, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of SterilizingHermetically-Sealed Packages, of which the following is a description,reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures ofreference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in the art ofsterilizing food products, and more particularly to the art ofsterilizing food products hermetically sealed in individual packages.

An object of the invention is to provide a process of sterilizing anindividual package wherein the contents of the package may be renderedthoroughly sterile in a very short period of time. Another object of theinvention is to provide a process of sterilizing individual packageswherein the package may be quickly cooled without breaking the containerif the product is packed in a glass container.

The purpose of the invention is to pack food products in containers anda thorough sterilization of the products so that it will keepindefinitely as long as the package 1s sealed and, at the same time,maintain the color, juices, flavor so far as possible in the productbeing packed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, more or less diagrammatic, of an apparatus forcarrying out the process; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showlng a container.

Thel food products are packed in individual packages and these packa esare hermetically sealed, and then place in a pressure retort and steamadmited to the retort for the heating of the interior thereof. The steamis preferably passed through a throttle so that the pressure may beregulated to that which is desirable for the sterilizing of thecontainers in the retort. A jet of water is introduced into the steampipe leading to the retort, and the steam surrounds said water jet sothat, when the steam and water enter the retort, they will be thoroughlyintermixed.

When the temperature of the retort reaches approximately 2129 F., theretort 1s put under pressure preferably by means of air.

The purpose of the air pressure is well understood in the art ofsterilizing hermetically sealed packages. The air pressure overcomes theinternal pressure within the container, due to the heating of thecontents thereof, and the expansion of the food products, so that theexternal air pressurewill prevent the cover of the package from beingdisturbed by this internal pressure, and thus maintaining the packagessealed. Preferably from 10 to 30 pounds of air pressure is used.

The steam which enters the retort is superheated steam and, therefore,can be raised to a. temperature of 250 F. The steam pressure will'` bein the neighborhood of fifteen pounds, and this steam pressure and plusair pressure is sufficient to overcome any internal pressure developingWithin the container.

The steam is superheated, and the water thoroughly intermixed with thissuperheated steam, and the water and steam circulate about the retortand contact with the surface of the containers. The water thoroughlyintermixed with steam causes the steam to condense and give up itslatent heat, which latent heat penetrates to the interior of thecontainers very quickly and heats the contents thereof to a sterilizingtemperature so that all the bacteria and harmful germs will bedestroyed.

As one specific example, I have very successfully put up peas by mypresent method. The container was filled as usual with peas and brinepoured. over the peas in the container. vThe cover was loosely placedthereon and the container passed through an exhaust box which heated thecontents of the container so that when sealed and allowed to cool to acertain extent, the cover is sealed by the internal vacuum within thecontainer.

The sealed containers were then placed within a retort and the retortclosed. Steam intermixed with .water was then introduced into theretort, and when the temperature o-f the retort reached about 212 F., Iadmitted air under pressure of about 10 pounds. This was for insuringthat the cover would be held on the container, notwithstanding theinternal pressure within the container due to the heating of thecontents and the exp-ansion of the same. Steam intermixed with Water wasfed to the reperfec tort until the retort reached the temperaf Vcontents had been for a relatively short time results.

and had not destro ed the color pigments within the peas. T e peas whenopen. had lmuch the flavor of fresh peas. I have also used my processfor processing many other kinds of vegetables, including spinach,asparagus and the like with equal beneficial The essential -featuresofthe process consists in the quick sterilizing of the food p-roducts sothat while the bacteria and objectionable germs are destroyed, the foodproduct is not overcooked o-r discolored but maintains much of itsnatural color and flavor.

In the drawings, the retort is indicated at 1, and said retort is closedby a lid 2. The air is introduced into the retort by a pipe 3 controlledby a Valve 4. The pipe l5 leads from the main steam line and deliverssteam to a pipe 6 connected to the retort and controlled by a valve 7.The steam pressure of the main line is controlled by a hanld valve 8. Awater pipe 9 is connected to a coupling 10 on the end of the pipe 6, anda nozzle 11 connected with this water pipe 9 extends into the couplingbeyond the point Where the steam enters'the coupling so that the steanrsurrounds the nozzle.' The -water is controlled by a valve 12. The wateris introduced into the pipe 6 at a slightly greaten pressure than thewater, and becomes thoroughly intermiXed with the steam so that, whenthe steam reaches the retort and surrounds the individual containers,the

,. 'steam is thoroughly intermixed with water.

A'sutable water gauge 13 is provided, and

the water in this lmixing chamber, and the water is led through a pipe21 to the retort. By this means, the water can be heated to the propertemperature so as not to break the glass containers and gradually cancool down. f

In Fig. 2, I have shown a glass container at G and a lid or cover gtherefor, which is suitable to be used in connection with my process. Itwill be understood that instead of using glass, metal may be used. Theapparatusset forth above is shown, described and claimed in my copendingapplii cation Serial No. 665,154, iiled of even date herewith.

It is obvious that other forms of apparatus may be used for carrying outthe process, and that the details stated lmay be widely varied withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaim.

The process of s sterilizing hermetically sealed packages comprisingplacing a sealed package in a closed retort,`surrounding the sealedpackage in said retort with superheated steam', and intermixing waterwith the supereheated steam as it enters the retort so that thecontainer will be surrounded with super-heated steam thoroughlyintermiXed with water which will aid in the condensing of the steam onthe wall of the container, 'aird thereby transferring the latent heat ofthe steam tothe contents of the container forv sterilizing the same.

' In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

